YOUNG ADULT/MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION: Threads of Peace by Uma Krishnaswami
ABOUT THE BOOK
Mohandas Gandhi and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. both shook and changed the world in their quest for peace among all people, but what threads connected these great activists together in their shared goal of social revolution?
A lawyer and activist, tiny of stature with giant ideas, in British-ruled India at the beginning of the 20th century.
A minister from Georgia with a thunderous voice and hopes for peace at the height of the civil rights movement in America.
Born more than a half-century apart, with seemingly little in common except one shared wish, both would go on to be icons of peaceful resistance and human decency. Both preached love for all human beings, regardless of race or religion. Both believed that freedom and justice were won by not one, but many. Both met their ends in the most unpeaceful of ways—assassination.
But what led them down the path of peace? How did their experiences parallel...and diverge? Threads of Peace keenly examines and celebrates these extraordinary activists’ lives, the threads that connect them, and the threads of peace they laid throughout the world, for us to pick up, and weave together.
★ “Krishnaswami’s comprehensive yet accessible text, complemented by intriguing, lesser-known facts, traces the life of each man, from his formative years to his rise as an influential leader to the untimely assassinations that cut both lives short…. A reflective presentation that will inspire young peacemakers.” —Booklist (starred)
★“The book’s attractive design, lucid text, and carefully chosen details combine to create an inviting and original treatment of its subjects. History has been carefully intertwined with the present in this engaging and reflective book.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Uma Krishnaswami is the author of several books for children including Book Uncle and Me (International Literacy Association Social Justice Literature Award, USBBY Outstanding International Book) and Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh (Asian Pacific American Librarians Award, FOCAL Award). She was born in New Delhi, India, and now lives in British Columbia, Canada. To learn more, visit her website: https://www.
REVIEW
Krishnaswami's powerful telling of the intertwining of Mohandas Gandhi's and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s lives and causes makes for a important and engaging read. The book begins with a significant experience in the life of each man. King's first public speech at the age of 15 and Gandhi's experience getting kicked off a train in South Africa. Those two experiences helped set the stage for what would become each man's life work. The author than takes us into the lives of each man. The first section follows Gandhi from birth to assassination before switching to King's birth to assassination. After highlighting key events and people in their lives the book ends by focusing on the assassins and the aftermath of their deaths. The last chapter focuses on the movements that each man helped lead and that each movement continues on today.
This excellent book is well-written and flows beautifully allowing the reader to focus on the content rather than the words. For such a long book, the author keeps the book compelling and the pace brisk. With carefully chosen photographs and informative sidebars, this book is an important addition to middle school and high school collections about these two important men. The focus of the book remains on the men and their leadership role in the movements they each helped found. Personal details and family life are covered briefly. A standout book on an important and relevant topic and an important reminder that the legacy we leave doesn't end when we die.
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